Supper's New Monday Brunch

If you work on Saturdays and Sundays or would rather not wait amidst the weekend brunch crowd, then spend your Monday afternoon at Supper on South Street. Executive chef (and member-of-the-tribe) Mitch Prensky launched his Monday 'Weekend Warrior' brunch earlier this month.

The menu reads the same as the weekend with one glorious addition: a $4 Bloody Mary special.

I ordered "Mitch's New York Brunch" — house cured and smoked salmon that tasted like buttah on an everything bagel freshly baked in-house ($18). Fresh cucumbers and tomatoes from Blue Elephant Farm in Newtown Square, Pa., came on the side. Yes, fresh in December! Prensky curates about 90 percent of the produce he serves from this local farm and greenhouse. He even harvests it himself about once a week.

Prensky, a New York City native, still counts Philadelphia as the sixth borough even though he's been running his restaurant here for five years. So I asked him, "Why Philly?” He laughed, pointed to his wife and said, “Jen’s a Philly girl.” Don’t fret, though, Prensky plans to stick around for the foreseeable future.

The Food

Prensky’s family tree stems from Hungary, Russia and Romania, but his culinary roots come from his mother.

“I cook American food,” he says proudly.

His take on American food, however, connects Southern style with his Eastern European heritage. On his seasonal menu, you might find traditional items such as his mom’s brisket (but with his modern touch), or pastrami fried chicken, which is served with fried matzah balls to the liking of hushpuppies. He still pays homage to his New York upbringing and the memory of “pickles from Delancey Street” with his interpretation of hot dogs and pickles.